Diamond-Tip Technology Advances Holemaking in Composites

By Scott Turner, Drilling Manager

New CX1 and CX2 Solid PCD-Tipped Drills

Next month, we’ll put a new spin on drilling through composite materials with the launch of our new CX1 and CX2 solid PCD-tipped drills. While traditional PCD and diamond-coated drill designs can sometimes fall short in composite drilling applications, these two new solutions prevent delamination and uncut fibers like never before.  

With bodies made of solid carbide, the CX1 and CX2 drills feature a solid PCD dome and solid PCD cap, respectively, as opposed to the more common PCD vein or dual brazed tip designs. Furthermore, our new PCD technology made it possible for us to develop the industry’s first PCD three-flute geometry (CX1) for composite drilling. 

The CX1 and CX2 PCD drills offer the sharpest and strongest cutting edges currently available, providing you with the best possible hole quality and a significant reduction in machining time. This performance is possible because these new drills use solid PCD tips that are much sharper than PCD-coated drills where the coatings wrap around a drill’s cutting edges and actually create a dulling effect.

CX1 Geometry

CX1 Geometry Features and Benefits

• Third flute provides high levels of stability in the hole as well as decreases vibrations and improves roundness.

• Dome-shaped tip applies a double-angle geometry that reduces uncut fibers and delamination in composite-only applications. The tip also makes it possible to recondition the drill point.

• Solid PCD tip lowers process temperatures to enhance product stability and allow for higher cutting speeds.

• Available in a variety of dimensions for holes that range in size from 0.125” to 0.375”. Chamfers can also further increase application flexibility.

CX2 Geometry

CX2 Geometry Features and Benefits

• Flat geometry drill point ideal for machining stacked composite materials with layers of aluminum, titanium or stainless steel.

• PCD cap supports 180-degree drill point angle that provides efficient chip breaking and evacuation qualities. This reduces the chance of metal chips damaging the hole when transitioning between layers of metal and composites.

• Solid PCD tip lowers process temperatures to enhance product stability and allow for higher cutting speeds.

• Available in a variety of dimensions for holes that range in size from 0.125” to 0.375”. Chamfers can also further increase application flexibility.

Solid PCD-Tipped Drills Versus PCD-Coated Drills

While solid PCD-tipped drills are more expensive than PCD-coated drills at the front end, the overall return on investment for solid-tip designs is substantial if you are drilling a large number of holes and essentially spreading out the cost of each hole. In fact, the PCD drills with the CX1 and CX2 geometries have the ability to effectively drill two to three times more holes than a PCD-coated drill.

Investing in solid PCD-tipped drills also makes sense when hole quality is of the utmost importance. However, if you have an application that is not part of a continuous running process and hole quality is not as critical, PCD-coated drills would prove more cost effective.

It is also important to keep in mind that rigid setups are necessary when machining composite materials. After all, composite materials are typically thin and, therefore, require more support. Without the right setup, you run the risk of frequent drill breakage and hole quality compromise. Therefore, in less rigid setups, a PCD-coated drill would make the most economical sense.     

In composite drilling applications, the use of portable drills is common. As such, both solid PCD-tipped drills and PCD-coated drills can prove effective; however, there needs to be enough RPM range to optimize the application. Therefore, in situations where there is not enough RPM, a solid PCD-tipped drill would be the better choice. After all, PCD-tipped drills work best in optimally run applications where more productivity and improved hole quality is a must. 

We consider the CX1 and CX2 to currently be the most advanced solutions for drilling today’s challenging composite materials. And given that every composite-based operation varies, we now have the technology to make special PCD geometries if so required. And as composite materials continue to evolve, we will constantly work to advance our drill designs to provide the best possible hole quality, productivity and profitability.

About the Author

As drilling manager, Scott is responsible for the product development, applications support and marketing of advanced hole-making solutions. In his spare time, he enjoys participating in outdoor activities such as jet skiing, snow skiing and golfing. Contact Scott at swturner@secotools.com.